The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1887-04-10
OUT OF PITY.

he was sorry for it. She thought she
realized the w ole at last. That her
money had assisted his pity did not Decor
to he1 She had been little, soft-eyed,
crippled thing, cared for and loved all her
life, aud VIII this new love came it dill
seem strange to her She had accepted it
simply and gladly, had married him, and
they had been comfortable on her little
income and as happy as most people. He
was dapper little fellow, with red curls
and rather nice brown eyes, glib tongue,
and as pretty hand and foot as any in
San Rafael. He had not so very much to
do. as far as business went, not needing
10 work for a living, so he devoted blm-
self TO lawn-tennis-in fact, he was the
"crack" player of San Rachael: and
when he was attired in his immaculate
white tennis rig-long, black stockings,
low shoes and little black cap on his
red curls, be was comely figure on the
grass court, and you could not wonder
that s'litte Mrs. Whitney," as everybody
called her, watched the game with such
interest and laughed in a tender, de-
precating way when Tom made an un-
usually swift "serve" or 'took" a hard
ball calamity.
1t had been upon the tennis ground
that she saw him three years before; ii
had been there that she experienced some
of the proudest moments of her simple
life, and it was there that Esther Very
came across her path and darkened it.
Love and je .lonsy are commonplace and
everyday, of course, but they have some
times the deepest cutting tragedy Of
all
1t was glorious Saturday afternoon
one of those California days that come
Oftener to San Rafael than to most places.
A not warm, but still suggesting the pos
sibilisies of July heat, There was soft
little breeze that could have been only
fourth or fifth cousin to the boisterous,
dusty wind that was undoubtedly blow
ing at that very moment across the bay
in San Francisco
Little Mrs. Whitney-"Poor Nell,
according to her husbands naming-sat
ia great chair on the veranda of the
tennis clubhouse. watching Tom as usual
--as he played, when some one said;
ssLet me introduce Miss Very to you Mrs,
Whitney,; and the turned to bow and
smile to the tall, slim girl who was being
presented Esther Very was one of the
few Californian girls with true en-
tnusiesm for physical development. With
how firm stroke did she send her boat
over the bay. with how strong hand
did she control a FESTIVE horse! With
what pride would she clench her pretty
fist and double up her arm that you might
feel the firm swelling Of her biceps How
easily she vanlted tht wooden horse at the
gymnasium, or pulled up five, no, six
times on the bar.
Now she looked on with the eye of
I true tennis lover at Tom Whituey's fast
serves and was ready with enthusiastic
appreciation when, at the close of the
game, he came up to the veranda with
the rest aud was introduced 10 her. Tom
was pleased, of course, and when she ex
pressed desire to play with him he va !.
only too delighted, as he said. He locke
her over with the eye of connoisseur and
noting the keen glance, the full, firm arm
and the easy movements, decided that she
would be foeman worthy of his steel,
or rather, his racket. And so she was
They played the next Wednesday, when
usual the following Saturday, and many
Wednesdays and Saturdays after. Little
Mrs Whitney sat on the porch, in her
accustomed place, with her sweet smile
always ready and with constant and I'M
selfish pleasure that Tom had found so
worthy and delighted an opponent
Miss Very was spending the summer
with some friends in San Rafael, and
after while Mrs. Whitney invited her
TO visit her. The Whifneys had charm
ing little home, and Esther fitted in as
only young, gay, helpful life can fit.
Tennis in the early morning with Tom
before he went to the city, then drives
and calls through the day with Nell, read
ing alone and wriling-all things that go
to make up a quiet summer in the coun-
try. No one could help being tender
toward Poor Nell's infirmity, aud Esther
had more than the usual portion of sweet
thoughtfulness and ready affection.
Nell saw that Esther made their home
even brighter than it had been before;
that she came to be, naturally enough The
center of their household. She did not
see at first that it meant more than this
to Tom, that he was drifting from mere
comradesEip into something different.
The first signs of mutual attraction are
almost imperceptible. The realization of
what it was did not come abrubtly to
Nell Her awakening was gradual.
From the first faint intimaiiou she passed,
by naStenlng Stages, INTO sIckehlnS
consciousness Of this new influence She
began to watch them VIXEN they we're to-
aether-when either was alone with her
She saw Toms eyes constantly directed
toward Esther. She appreciated the
thrill that passed through him when he
touched her hand, by chance her dress
Sne felt no bitterness for Esther Sac
begun to love her dearly, and she felt
still the same STRINGS of affection when
the girl came near her, smoothed her hair,
or did for her any little kindly service
she rendered daily. She did not cry out
at the bitterness of her cup. Sh& did not
call it cruel or undeseryed. She tegan to
recall the past and look at bygone.events
as she had never done before, She stud
sod hnr.nle 80 che thnl1nht frarn eunru